IOM SEEKS TO BUILD NETWORK OF TURKMEN NGOS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001162 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN; PRM E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/13/2019 TAGS: SMIG PGOV KTIP PHUM IOM TX SUBJECT: IOM SEEKS TO BUILD NETWORK OF TURKMEN NGOS TO IMPLEMENT ITS PROJECTS Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) On September 11, poloff met with International Organization for Migration (IOM) Central Asia Chief of Mission Zlatko Zigic and Senior Program Assistant Tahyr Seidov to discuss the prospects for IOM activity in Turkmenistan. Zigic explained that IOM's recently introduced regional structure in Central Asia would allow for programs to address transborder issues, providing synergies between the separate country missions' programs. He said that IOM's main goal in Turkmenistan is to create a network of NGOs to implement anti-TIP efforts, adding that IOM typically works with local organizations to implement its programs. ¶2. (C) Zigic said IOM has a "solid relationship" with the Turkmen government. He noted that during the late 1990s, current Deputy Chairman for International Relations and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov was also the director of the government-run Institute for Democracy and Human Rights (IDHR). IDHR was IOM's principal government interlocutor at that time. Meredov's familiarity with IOM continues to benefit the organization. In Zigic's words, "it helps tohave a powerful supporter to resolve issues." ¶3. (C) According to Zigic, there are indicators that Turkmenistan will become a member of IOM this fall. As a result, there could be some growth in IOM activity in Turkmenistan due to its eligibility for participation in programs that are only available to members. IOM is currently implementing a European Commission-funded project to improve disaster preparedness, with the help of local NGOs. Its focus is to work on community disaster reaction plans, linking local authorities with the Ministry of Defense. Zigic said he would like to see a project to build capacity in migration management, but that it would be difficult to implement in Turkmenistan. The current Law on Migration and the government's practice of restricting people's movements could not be endorsed by IOM. Still, when Turkmenistan becomes an IOM member, efforts in migration management could expand if the government decided to introduce international standards. Regarding the current restrictions that the government has imposed on students seeking to study abroad, Zigic said the government should not restrict movement in this way, describing current Turkmen practice as "ignorance." ¶4. (C) Concerning IOM's plans, Zigic acknowledged that they might sound idealistic, but noted that IOM had achieved progress in neighboring countries with restrictive regimes. His view was that a long-term, gradual effort could succeed over time, but that with the Turkmen, you could not achieve much by arm twisting - better to adopt a mentoring approach. He observed that Turkmenistan is opening up gradually, noting that under former President Niyazov, even the mention of trafficking in persons was taboo. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: IOM views itself as an organization that takes a grassroots approach to tackling issues, hence its reliance on local NGOs to implement its projects. In that regard, IOM may be able to leverage the cachet that UN organizations enjoy with the Turkmen government in order to reduce the government's suspicion of NGOs. Demonstrating to government officials that NGOs could play a useful role in accomplishing goals such as disaster preparedness would be a significant side benefit to IOM's programmatic agenda. END COMMENT CURRAN